The Good Beer Folks Blog » art showshttp://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog
Steam Whistle Pilsner BlogFri, 02 Dec 2016 21:55:15 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.13Shawn William Clarke – Interviewhttp://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2015/02/02/shawn-william-clarke-interviews/
http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2015/02/02/shawn-william-clarke-interviews/#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 21:41:28 +0000http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/?p=2777Shawn William Clarke does a few things (really, really well). By day he’s an integral part of our filtration team at Steam Whistle Brewing. By night he’s a talented singer/songwriter whose latest critically acclaimed album “William” was awarded runner up in Now Toronto’s Best Singer/Songwriter poll. We got a chance to catch up with Shawn last week to ask him a few questions about his own musical tastes before his upcoming show at the Wavelength pop up event at Hunt Club this Friday. What would be your dream venue to play in Toronto? The ultimate dream for me would be […]

]]>Shawn William Clarke does a few things (really, really well). By day he’s an integral part of our filtration team at Steam Whistle Brewing. By night he’s a talented singer/songwriter whose latest critically acclaimed album “William” was awarded runner up in Now Toronto’s Best Singer/Songwriter poll. We got a chance to catch up with Shawn last week to ask him a few questions about his own musical tastes before his upcoming show at the Wavelength pop up event at Hunt Club this Friday.

What would be your dream venue to play in Toronto?

The ultimate dream for me would be Massey Hall. It’s really one of the most beautiful venues in the city, and has a really rich musical history. I’ve seen a countless number of heroes grace that stage, it would be something else. It doesn’t even have to be a show. I just want to get up with a guitar. Play one song. Please.

Why Vinyl?

Purely selfish reasons. I’m a bit of a vinyl junkie, and I just wanted to see the spine of my own album in with my favourites! I really love the ceremony that goes with vinyl, it demands to be listened to, more so then digital files. I also love album art, the dimensions of a record displays the art (in my case by Jessica Rae Gordon) so nicely!

What’s your favorite record shop in Toronto?

It really depends on what I’m looking for. I love stopping in Sonic Boom to look around. I’ve bought the most music from Soundscapes, though. Their listening stations are dangerous, I rarely leave empty handed! I actually just checked out a new place on Dundas West (near Roncesvalles) called Tonality. They have a really cool set up where they display albums by record label (all independent) instead of recording artists. Maybe a little niche, but cool!

How do you start your songwriting process? Do you have any tips for overcoming writer’s block?

The process usually starts with just me and a guitar. The music seems to come first, then I hum a melody on top of that. After those things are in play, I sound out a few words and the ideas (hopefully) start to flow!

I’m generally a pretty slow songwriter, there were 4 years between my first and second album, so any writers block tips I have probably won’t be too helpful. It’s good to be able to accept that some days creativity just isn’t going to come.

What’s the weirdest thing that sparked a song idea?

Hmm… good question. On my first album there’s a song called “Untitled” which is about not being able to write a song. It ends with a chorus singing “la la la’s”. It’s pretty meta.

What’s your favorite hidden gem in Toronto

I think Toronto has some really great rep cinemas. My all time favourite was a place called Trash Palace. They used to show 16mm prints of genre and cult films out of a basement print studio. Sadly they shut down that location, but they still show prints once a month at the Revue Cinema. Soooo yeah, go see a flick at a rep theatre!

You can catch Shawn preforming alongside Anamai at the Steam Whistle curated music night of the Wavelength pop up on February 6th. This all encompassing pop up is happening until Feb 15th and will feature a poster and photograph exhibit, installations, music talk series as well as intimate concerts. The best part is, it’s all PWYC – so don’t miss out!

]]>http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2015/02/02/shawn-william-clarke-interviews/feed/0Want to exhibit in our gallery space?http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2013/10/09/want-to-exhibit-in-our-gallery-space/
http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2013/10/09/want-to-exhibit-in-our-gallery-space/#commentsWed, 09 Oct 2013 20:08:58 +0000http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/?p=1733Apply and show us your stuff! We are looking for group(2+) exhibitions by emerging artists to showcase in our unique gallery space. Our location at the historic John St. Roundhouse provides a great backdrop for art shows in the city which we have been hosting since 2000. What do we provide? Commission-free and rent-free space for a month long show. Your opening night reception, with us providing food, music and bar service for 250 people. Assistance with Art Show promotion: website event calendar listing; e-news, Twitter, & Facebook Mentions; Press Release sent to media. What do we ask in return? Just […]

We are looking for group(2+) exhibitions by emerging artists to showcase in our unique gallery space. Our location at the historic John St. Roundhouse provides a great backdrop for art shows in the city which we have been hosting since 2000.

What do we provide?

Commission-free and rent-free space for a month long show.

Your opening night reception, with us providing food, music and bar service for 250 people.

]]>http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2013/10/09/want-to-exhibit-in-our-gallery-space/feed/12Heritage Toronto talks CONTACT Festival Exhibit: Building Storeyshttp://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/05/10/heritage-toronto-talks-contact-festival-exhibit-building-storeys/
http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/05/10/heritage-toronto-talks-contact-festival-exhibit-building-storeys/#commentsThu, 10 May 2012 20:00:59 +0000http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/?p=856May is CONTACT Festival month in Toronto. The largest photography festival in the world that is held in Toronto. The festival increases exposure and recognition for local, Canadian and international artists with 1000 exhibits at almost 200 venues. Steam Whistle Brewery is one of these venues and in May we are hosting Building Storeys – a photo exhibit of transportation in Toronto. The exhibit is co-curated by Christopher Hume of the Toronto Star and Gary Miedema, Chief Historian at Heritage Toronto. Photo: Toni Wallachy Building Storeys is a visual documentation and anecdotal exhibit of Toronto’s cherished – and in some cases, somewhat unknown – heritage buildings and sites. The project […]

The largest photography festival in the world that is held in Toronto. The festival increases exposure and recognition for local, Canadian and international artists with 1000 exhibits at almost 200 venues. Steam Whistle Brewery is one of these venues and in May we are hosting Building Storeys – a photo exhibit of transportation in Toronto. The exhibit is co-curated by Christopher Hume of the Toronto Star and Gary Miedema, Chief Historian at Heritage Toronto.

Photo: Toni Wallachy

Building Storeys is a visual documentation and anecdotal exhibit of Toronto’s cherished – and in some cases, somewhat unknown – heritage buildings and sites. The project brings together both the heritage and arts communities in collaboration to create awareness of the depth of our city’s heritage.

Gary Miedema, Chief Historian and Associate Director at Heritage Toronto, further discusses the inspiration for the exhibit.

What is your role with Heritage Toronto?

I’m the organization’s Chief Historian and Associate Director. I help guide Heritage Toronto’s programming, and work closely with partnering organizations across the city to raise awareness of this city’s fascinating history. This exhibition is a great example. The photographers, the Building Storeys Collective, have been a truly great group to work with. Brook Restoration and the Howard and Carole Tanenbaum Family Foundation were key sponsoring partners, Christopher Hume of the Toronto Star has been a brilliant co-curator, and Steam Whistle made the on-site work a pleasure.

How did Heritage Toronto get involved with the CONTACT festival?

This is the third edition of our Building Storeys exhibition, and the first one that is a part of CONTACT. The move into CONTACT was recommended by Howard Tanenbaum in 2011 when we were planning this year’s show. Given the way the exhibition had matured, that move just made sense, and we are thrilled to be a part of one of the world’s great photography festivals, here in our own city.

What inspired Building Storeys?

In short, a driving passion to tell the stories of this city’s past through exceptional contemporary photography. Too often, people either unwittingly overlook the richness of this city’s historic buildings and infrastructure, or worse, consider them not worth looking at. The photographers in this show have done what they do best – capture beauty and intrigue in unexpected places, and stop us in our tracks to appreciate it. And suddenly we see our own city a fresh new light.

Photo: Sean Galbraith & Toni Wallachy

How does this show compare to the previous years?

The quality of the photographs remains exceptional. We are very happy to be at Steam Whistle for the first time – a perfect match for this year’s theme of transportation infrastructure, and that match brings something very rich to this show. It’s also important to note that this year we added new curators – Christopher Hume and myself. With Christopher Hume’s input, we significantly enhanced the written story panels that enrich the photographs.

What is your favourite piece at the exhibit?

Each photo was chosen because it was particularly striking, and because it added something to the story of a theme or site. I was immediately struck by Rick Harris’ photo of the subway wheel – it reveals that screeching and grinding piece of brute machinery to be an object of engineered perfection, and it intrigues me with its perception of both blurred motion and exacting sharpness. It tells a piece of this year’s story – of the unseen work done by generations in the city’s subway and streetcar yards.

Photo: Toni Wallachy

You can check the exhibit out for yourself until May 31st 2012 at Steam Whistle Brewery (255 Bremner Blvd, Toronto). See you soon!

]]>http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/05/10/heritage-toronto-talks-contact-festival-exhibit-building-storeys/feed/0Art Lovers: Celebrate International Women’s Day with Steam Whistlehttp://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/03/09/art-lovers-celebrate-international-womens-day-with-steam-whistle/
http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/03/09/art-lovers-celebrate-international-womens-day-with-steam-whistle/#commentsFri, 09 Mar 2012 17:23:13 +0000http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/?p=707Our March art exhibit is in theme with International Women’s Day. In a shell, the art show is a collaboration of two artist groups exploring women’s issues. Exposed: The Female Perspective highlights female artists of this generation, putting their most intimate selves on display and exploring inner thoughts, feelings and desires while creating a statement on societal expectations. Similarly, Voices explores the complicated journey towards women finding their voice in modern times, speaking to the journey of women. The opening night party took place on March 7th and the art exhibit is on display during regular brewery hours until March 30th. Want to learn […]

In a shell, the art show is a collaboration of two artist groups exploring women’s issues.

Exposed: The Female Perspective highlights female artists of this generation, putting their most intimate selves on display and exploring inner thoughts, feelings and desires while creating a statement on societal expectations.

Similarly, Voices explores the complicated journey towards women finding their voice in modern times, speaking to the journey of women.

The opening night party took place on March 7th and the art exhibit is on display during regular brewery hours until March 30th.

Want to learn more about the exhibits? Read below.

Voices

Tamara Shelly, development assistant at Literature for Life chatted with me about the organization, the inspiration for the exhibit and the story behind the name Voices.

What is Literature For Life?

Literature for Life is a registered, Toronto charity unleashing intellectual potential in young, often teenage, mothers by promoting the benefits of literacy and stimulating a love for reading through one-of-a-kind Women with Words Reading Circles. Most programming is facilitated in areas where poverty is a reality for many of the community members.

Since its inception in 2000, Literature for Life has impacted over 2000 participants and distributed over 22,000 new books to marginalized young mothers and their children.

Can you tell us more about “Women with Words”?

Women with Words is the name of the Literature for Life reading circles. Several years ago, Literature for Life created an interactive blog entitled Womenz Wordz where young women of all races, places, ages and backgrounds can post and share their writings, rhymes, poems, stories, scripts, and words.

In 2011, after an interview with Omni Television, Literature for Life was approached by film director Anna Piszczkiewicz to create a documentary about the missions, visions, and values of the organization. After months of filiming Literature for Life’s Reading Circles, Anna felt the title of the documentary Women with Wordz was a perfect fit.

What inspired in putting together this art exhibit?

International Women’s Day is a celebration that means a lot to Literature for Life. Despite many, girl-power movements and initiatives, young mothers, are a very overlooked demographic because of stigma and stereotypes. With our core belief, A mother is her child’s first teacher, we recognize how important it is that these young mothers are empowered, in order to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty that they and their children face. And in order to feel empowered, they have to be included in discussions that involve their futures and embraced by women of all ages, status and experience. International Women’s Day supports all women and it was a great inspiration for the Literature for Life exhibition “Voices”

Can you explain the name “Voices”?

Literature for Life’s exhibit entitled, “Voices” explores the complicated journey towards women finding their voice in modern times. In this exhibit, women have found a means of expressing their voices, their unique identities, and the many challenging and exciting moments that surround them.

The mixed media presentation is a fusion of art, photography and poetry, speaking to the journey of women, as they move from uncertain and questioning tones of voice, to a war cry in the fight for justice; and all of the voices in between.

The poetry is from an anthology entitled “Holla!’ created by the young mothers who participate in Literature for Life’s Women’s Words Reading Circle groups.

See more of “Voices” art work on our brewery walls:

Exposed: The Female Perspective

Tegan Tough, a photographer exhibiting in Exposed: The Female Perspective, feels that the exhibit embraces “not only the fact that we are a group of emerging female artists, but highlights the importance of us as individuals existing within the artistic realm and gives us the chance to communicate our inner most desires, feelings and thoughts on a heightened platform.”

Does this mean that she can be given the title of a “feminist artist”?“I by no means consider myself a feminist artist but am pleased that the group of us are representing a humble portion of the female voice in our own, unique ways,” she says.

Take a look at some of Tegan’s work from the “Cookie Cutters” collection:

]]>http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/03/09/art-lovers-celebrate-international-womens-day-with-steam-whistle/feed/0Toronto Humane Society celebrates 125 years with a charity art show, beers and puppies.http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/01/12/toronto-humane-society-celebrates-125-years-with-a-charity-art-show-beers-and-puppies/
http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/2012/01/12/toronto-humane-society-celebrates-125-years-with-a-charity-art-show-beers-and-puppies/#commentsThu, 12 Jan 2012 18:46:56 +0000http://www.steamwhistle.ca/blog/?p=538Happy 125th Birthday, Toronto Humane Society! Last night, we hosted a “Staff & Friends Charity Art Show” to celebrate Toronto Humane Society’s birthday with a charity art show. Over $4000 was raised for the THS from the art donated by Steam Whistle Brewing Staff, and the Humane Society Staff and volunteers. Beer was flowing, bands were entertaining, art was selling, and everyone was making friends for a great cause (even the four legged attendees!) As someone on Twitter put it…. And it was a win-win night! It all started with a $2 donation 125 years ago. Today, THS is a not […]

Last night, we hosted a “Staff & Friends Charity Art Show” to celebrate Toronto Humane Society’s birthday with a charity art show. Over $4000 was raised for the THS from the art donated by Steam Whistle Brewing Staff, and the Humane Society Staff and volunteers. Beer was flowing, bands were entertaining, art was selling, and everyone was making friends for a great cause (even the four legged attendees!)

As someone on Twitter put it….

And it was a win-win night!

It all started with a $2 donation 125 years ago. Today, THS is a not for profit organization committed to promoting humane care and protection of all animals preventing cruelty and suffering. They provide high quality care to the animals who are surrendered to the shelter and find them forever homes.

The THS charity art show was organized by our very own Nicole George from the Creative Team.

Awesome job, Nicole!!

Her inspiration for the show?

“A friend of mine (Jenny Moore) works at the humane Society with ‘In-Takes. When she told a few stories about day to day services and costs it blow my mind that one of their main sources of funding are yard sales. I thought that it would be a great opportunity for the folks at SW to get involved – especially since there are soooo many animals lovers on staff.

Funny enough, because there was such a large amount of art donations there was no room for my own piece!”

Not a bad problem to have as an organizer! The art is currently on display until end of January, come by to see some of these amazing works.

The number of four legged friends in attendance was also amazing. Below is the THS CEO Dr. Jacques Messier with the ever friendly Beagle (who is currently up for adoption if you’re interested!) and Darryl with her Dachshund.

Thanks again to all who came out and helped make the event a success.

Stay tuned for details on our February art show. It’s bound to be another great night of art, beer and music!